Gautama Buddha is also known as Siddharta Gautama, or simply the Buddha, which means "Awakened" or "Enlightened". Born a prince, he chose a path of ascetism only to realize that it was as profound an illusion as self-indulgence. He achieved Enlightenment after 49 days of meditation; his awakening led him to discover the cause of suffering and the ways to eliminate it. These discoveries founded Buddhism, and his "Four Noble Truths" still form the heart of its teachings.

100 Quotes to Develop your Leadership

We have selected for you 100 great quotes to develop your leadership. Leadership is a practical skill, regarding the ability of an individual or organization to "lead" or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. Having a great sense of leadership can inspire great men and women in their actions, in their thoughts, in their lives, and in the lives of many people around them. Leadership is also defined as a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

100 Quotes by Henry David Thoreau (Great Philosophers and Their Inspiring Thoughts)

Henry David Thoreau is a beloved American author, poet and philosopher. He was a lifelong abolitionist, advocate of civil disobedience againts unjust or corrupted goverments, and he defended the idea of abandoning illusory matters in favor of simple living, in order to discover life's authentic essential needs. He is best known for "Walden, or Life in the woods", the book he wrote during his two-year experiment in minimalist living: having built himself a cabin in the woods, he stayed there to study, write, and enjoy his newfound communion with nature. His political works and theory of civil disobedience have influenced the thoughts and actions of many prominent figures, such as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

100 Quotes to boost your Self Esteem

We have selected for you 100 great quotes to boost your self esteem. We use the expression self-esteem to talk about the beliefs you have about yourself - what you think about the type of person you are, your abilities, the positive and negative things about you and what you expect for your future. If you have healthy self-esteem, your beliefs about yourself will generally be positive. You may experience difficult times in your life, but you will generally be able to deal with these without them having too much of a long-term negative impact on you.

100 Quotes by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is remembered as one of the wittiest minds ever, thanks to his provocative style and humor. In the 1890s, he was one of London's most popular playwrights; his masterpieces are The Importance of Being Earnest and the dark and fantastical Picture of Dorian Gray. His writings entwine themes of beauty, decadence and duplicity, which made him a more than colorful agent provocateur in the Victorian society. This would eventually lead to a very public trial after he was accused of sodomy. His defense, punctuated with witticism, often left the court roaring with laughter, but the evidence was against him, and he was eventually sent to prison.

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor, the last of the Five Good Emperors, and one of the most important Stoic philosophers, along with the slave Epictetus. Marcus Aurelius wrote the Meditations while in a military campaign; it was a series of notes written for no one but himself in his quest for self-improvement. Stoicism is the attitude allowing one to free oneself from the unnecessary suffering that arises from anxiety about events that are beyond our control; therefore, it can be of tremendous importance in one's life.

100 Quotes by Confucius (Great Philosophers and Their Inspiring Thoughts)

The philosophy of Confucius was so powerful that it dominated intellectual life in ancient China for centuries. It even came to be considered a religion, and there are still temples where Confucius is worshipped as the God of Culture. His writings were transmitted as aphorisms, each one of them one concentrated teaching about philosophy, ethics, or society.

100 Quotes to enjoy your Life

We have selected for you 100 great quotes to enjoy your life. A great quote is very similar to a great thinking and a small poem. It can encapsulate a large web of ideas, thoughts, reflections, emotions in a few words. The reader of a great quote is forced to think about what he just heard. He has to think about those words and what they mean. An excellent quote requires the reader to pause to contemplate the real meaning and poesy of a few words. A great thought reaches a level of universality.

100 Quotes by Plato (Great Philosophers and Their Inspiring Thoughts)

Alfred North Whitehead once noted: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." Plato is indeed considered the most pivotal figure in the development of philosophy, along with his teacher, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle. But his writings are often light, fresh and funny; it was Plato who invented the dialogue in philosophy, which makes a point very easy to follow and the occasion of various scenic arrangements.

100 Quotes about Science

We have selected for you 100 great quotes about science. The education of the people is a great wealth. Learning science and create our future through knowledge and science are great challenges for the nation. It will open the horizons of a glorious future.

100 Quotes by Socrates (Great Philosophers and Their Inspiring Thoughts)

Socrates is an enigmatic figure, known chiefly through the accounts of others like Plato and Aristophanes. He was one of the most brilliant intellects ever, and devised what would later be called the Socratic method, which is a way of leading one's interlocutor to see his errors and contradictions through clever questioning before leading him to the truth. In ancient Athens, Socrates was widely known as a "gadfly", that is, an annoying insect buzzing at people's ears, because he kept questioning prejudices and contradictions; he was eventually tried and executed for "corrupting the minds of the youth".

Quotes of Wisdom: 365 Quotes of Wisdom for the Whole Year

In this compilation of wisdom, you'll find some extraordinary, life-changing quotes as well as some common-sense deep thoughts, philosophical insights, and everyday phrases to live by. They can help elevate your mood and make you think about yourself, the universe, religion, freedom, silence, meditation, gratitude, love, courage, success, and many other characteristics and ethics that are essential to our well-being.

100 Quotes by Voltaire (Great Philosophers and Their Inspiring Thoughts)

Voltaire was a French writer famous for his wit and irony. They were his tools for launching vitriolic attacks on the established Catholic church, the adversaries of freedom of religion and expression, and on separation of church and state. His prolific writing took almost every possible literary form: plays, novels, essays, but also poems, historical and scientific works.

Nietzsche is a major figure in Western philosophy. His work is radical, sometimes violent, often ironic; it fascinates anyone bold enough to delve into it, exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history, and covers a wide range of subjects. Nietzsche's writings border on the poetic; his aphorisms are particularly well-known for conveying all the radicality of his thinking in a intense but light, sometimes amusing manner.

100 Quotes of Lao Tzu for Meditation

Lao-Tzu was a philosopher and poet of ancient China. He is known as the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching and the founder of philosophical Taoism, and as a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions. As a central figure in Chinese culture, the emperors of the Tang dynasty and modern people both claim Lao Tzu. Some of his great quotes are "When goodness is lost, it is replaced by morality." "Without Darkness, there can be no Light." "The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness."

100 Inspirational Quotes about Wisdom

We have selected for you 100 great quotes about wisdom. We all know what wisdom is: the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. Wisdom has been regarded as one of four cardinal virtues; and as a virtue, it is a habit or disposition to perform the action with the highest degree of adequacy under any given circumstance. This implies a possession of knowledge or the seeking thereof to apply it to the given circumstance.

Quotes for Achievement: Quotations, Stories and Advice from Great Achievers in Sports, Politics, Business and Life

The goal of this book is simple: to help others follow their dreams. Quotes for Achievement includes advice from Nobel Prize-winners, presidents, first ladies, several millionaires, inventors, prizefighters, film makers, military heroes, civil rights heroes, Olympic champions, and a few folks you may never have heard of before.

100 Quotes by Montaigne (Great Philosophers and Their Inspiring Thoughts)

Montaigne might well be one of the most sympathetic writers ever known. He is known for popularizing the essay as a literary genre; his style merges casual anecdotes and autobiography with deep intellectual insights. His "Essays" are among the most influential ever written; one can recognize Montaigne's direct influence on great literary figures all over the world, from René Descartes to Nietzsche, Isaac Asimov, and possibly William Shakespeare.

Publisher's Summary

Creativity is one seemingly mysterious force, which we long to understand and develop. We have selected for you 100 quotes from the greatest thinkers, artists and creators, for you to get strength and inspiration in your own life. Nourish yourself with the experience and reflection of the greatest authors: Nietzsche, Flaubert, Hemingway, Henry David Thoreau, Picasso, Banksy and so many others. Each one of them will give you food for thought, boosting your creative powers and providing you with a new understanding of the act of creation from an artistic and philosophical point of view.

Develop your understanding and boost your creativity with the help of the best minds ever!